The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-04-16
BEULAH.

tliNtltIS dllSltcu - dllloilSSt tilelll IL
striking-looking man, in Il handsome
coat, that, with its length and
breadth Of shoulder, its furcuifs and
fur collar, gave him something Of a
Russian aspect. He was handsome
elegant, and about thirty years of
age.
Dinner was ready. At the head
of the table sat the landlord, who
presided with great affability.
Been to the wedding, Mrs. Cros-
by?' he said. And did it 60 off
well? And was the bride as pretty
and the groom as unimportant as
usual ?"
"He, he!" laughed Mrs. Crosby.
what II man you are for jokes, Mr.
FELTON, ? He's eighty, | am told.
To think Of Il woman of twenty-five
accepting such an old creature"
But he's rich" said Bonitace.
she'll be Il darling widow in IL year
or 50. One of our bellies, sir" he
said addressing the stranger of whom
we have spoken. Miss Beulah
Blair, DIR. Blair's only daughter, as
pretty a young lady as the sun
shines on
His ruddy color faded, his eyes
dilated he sat sat there as white as
though smitten with death for Il
moment he did not speak.
Then the blood rushed back to
his face. He lifted the glass at his
place in the air. "a health to the
bride" he cried "and long life to the
bridegroom" They drank the toast
one or two of them forming the opin-
ion that this fur-coated stranger was
some great tragedian, who had re-
solved to astonish them.
From distant land where he had
toiled for nine long years to win
fame and fortune, he had returned,
crowned with success TO marry pre-
cisely this Beulah Blair-this bride
of the old man of eighty. Wrap
ping himself in his fur coat, he
stalked out of the house into the
long village street, and took his way
towards the well-known spot-the
garden gate where she had vowed
fidelity. Was this the end of it all.
So it seemed the house was all
ablaze with light, and approaching
the long windows opened on the
garden, he saw her-Beulah ! his
Beulah as he had so often called her.
She stood there in her bridal dress
her rich veil falling to her feet shad-
ing but not concealing her lovely
face and hair, and the exquisite out
lines of her figure.
Returning to the hotel he wrote
long and bitter letter, full of re-
proaches and Of sarcasm, posted it,
and paid his bill. Before daylight
the handsome stranger had left the
town behind him. He sought in
travel the peace which no man ever
yet found save in his own heart.
He remained away five years. At
the end of that time he returned.
He had left his homc-the home to
which he had hoped to return with
his bride-just as it had been ar
ranged, merely locking and barring
windows and doors. There was let
ter-boX ut the entrance, and into this
Il number Of letters and papers had
been thrust from without, for he had
left no address behind him.
Turning these over with careless
hand, he came to one addressed in
Beulahs writing. How well he
knew it, She had, then. replied to
his letter. With trembling hand,
he tore it open.
DEAR ARcHIBALD.-Ycs, always
dear to me-Had ! deserved your
| should not write these
write these words. They told me
you We're married to a woman of
fortune and title--a German count
ess. | believed them. ! married
whom they chose to give me to. l
thought my old husband kind and
worthy. | respected him. Alas !
cannot do that any longer. He died
week after our wedding
day. In his desk | found your let
ters, which he had purloined and
secreted, and also proof of the con-
Splracy by which he forced me to
believe you married another
shall strive to forgive him, but ! do
not think it will be in my power.
Your unhappy, BErLAH.
The date was that of nearly five
years before. Even at that period
he had loved her still, but he had so
carefully taught himself to despise
md despise and hate her that the
etter seemed ut first 10 have no eff
ect upon him.
Slowly, however, the truth that he
lad heard sank into his soul. He
understood that she had been the in
ured one that her old lover--doubt-